Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Clinton Schaad was the 2025 Humboldt Sports High School Coach of the Year.

By Ray Hamill — Coaches play an integral role in H-DNL sports, providing an all-important platform for the student-athletes to perform, succeed and grow as athletes and people.

That continued to be the case this past year with several coaches taking on that challenge and thriving.

And so with that in mind, it’s almost time to announce the 2026 Humboldt Sports High School Coach of the Year.

The coach of the year is one of six awards we’ll be handing out next week, along with our Big 5 Boys and Girls Athletes of the Year, our Little 4 Boys and Girls Athletes of the Year and our Team of the year.

Today we are naming our finalists for the Coach of the Year, which includes another deep, talented and dedicated group, all of whom impacted their student-athletes in a positive manner over the past 12 months.

And once again, a big thank you to our award sponsors, Bode Construction and Mendes Supply Company, longtime sponsors of the awards.

So here then are our finalists for the 2026 Humboldt Sports High School Coach of the Year.

Mike Benbow

Fortuna Football

Year in, year out, Benbow is one of the top coaches in H-DNL sports whose teams always grow into the season and always seem to be peaking towards the business end of the campaign.

John Davidson

Arcata Boys Soccer

Davidson has established himself as one of the top soccer coaches in the H-DNL and enjoyed his best season in charge of the Tigers last fall, leading them to a league title and a North Coast Section championship game appearance.

Chris Davis

McKinleyville Boys Basketball

Davis has quickly built a dynasty of sorts at Mack High and enjoyed another stellar winter in charge, leading the Panthers to a first-ever outright Big 5 championship as well as a Dick Niclai Tournament title.

Bailey Davy

Ferndale Girls Soccer

In what was one of the stories of the year in HDN sports, Davy’s team dominated in league play before going on to win the program’s first-ever NCS Division-1 championship.

Mike Dobrec

McKinleyville Baseball

Dobrec had a lot of talent at his disposal, but he put the players in position to succeed and had them well prepared to play in the biggest games of the season, including the Lakin tournament final.

Charlie Espinoza

Arcata Girls Basketball

Espinoza also enjoyed a stellar season in charge of the Tigers, leading them to a second straight Big 5 title, before earning a measure of redemption with a victory over Eureka in the Niclai final one year after the program’s heartbreaking loss to St. Bernard’s..

Clint McClurg

Ferndale Football

McClurg is a perfect fit for tradition-rich Ferndale football and this might have been his best season yet as he guided the Cats to an historical and record-breaking regular season that saw them outscore their 10 opponents 647-18.

Stephanie Napoleon

Eureka Volleyball

One of the best volleyball coaches in the H-DNL, Napoleon enjoyed one of her best seasons last fall, leading the Loggers to a Big 5 championship as they held their nerve down the stretch in a very competitive conference.

Clinton Schaad

Del Norte Wrestling

Last year’s Humboldt Sports Coach of the Year, Schaad is not just one of the best wrestling coaches on the North Coast but one of the most successful in any sport after leading the Warriors to an eighth straight league title.

Pat Shanahan

St. Bernard’s Boys Basketball

Shanahan enjoyed an outstanding winter in charge of the Crusaders, who were the most impressive local team in a regular season that saw them win 22 of 24 games, including a dominating 6-0 record in the Little 4.

Lisa Todd

South Fork Softball

Todd’s resume of success with the Cubs is impressive and includes multiple NCS titles and now multiple L4 crowns after she led the South Fork girls to a second straight league title this past spring.

Matt Tomlin

St. Bernard’s Football, Girls Basketball, Baseball

Tomlin’s incredible success in multiple sports continued this year, with all three of his teams exceeding expectations and taking home league championships, including young basketball and baseball squads.

Melania Valdez

Eureka Girls Soccer, Track and Field

Valdez enjoyed a big spring in charge of the Loggers boys and girls track teams, ensuring both teams peaked at the right tome and guiding each to league titles.